If you are interested in being a nurse, then you can get specialized in one of the many Nurse Anesthetist schools across the country. This is a special type of nurse that is responsible for the administration of amnesia. The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is responsible for administering over 92% of the 40,000 nurse anesthetists in the USA.
Famous nurses to inspire you
Many people are inspired to go into nursing and the field of nurse anesthesia is full of well-known figures from history. One of the first American nurses who gave anesthesia was Catherine S. Lawrence, who worked as a nurse during the Civil War. But the first official nurse anesthetist was Sister Mary Bernard, who was a Catholic nun at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania, in the late 1800s. Bernard and the other members of her order were able to practice anesthesia to assist surgeons at a variety of Catholic and Protestant hospitals in the midwest.
The first of the nurse practitioner schools that taught anesthesia was formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1909, by Agnes McGee. The nurse anesthetist programs available at the school contained courses in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and the administration of anesthesia. Across the next few decades, some 20 more schools opened that offered similar courses — some of whom are still recognized today as the best in the country, such as the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Barnes Hospital and the Grace Hospital in Detroit.
How to become a nurse anesthetist
There are three steps to becoming a nurse anesthetist in the United States:
- complete a bachelor’s degree (in nursing or a related scientific field)
- become a licensed registered nurse
- specialize in anesthesia in a postgraduate program (includes elements of practical acute care experience and masters or doctoral studies for 24-36 months)
There are many nurse anesthetist schools across the country where you can undertake your studies. Getting into one of these schools is based upon entrance exams, so if you have taken courses in high school that will assist you in this it will be much easier to pass the entrance exam. Some of the courses that are recommended for nurses in high school are:
- English
- Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computing Science)
- Mathematics (especially Algebra and Geometry)
- Social Sciences
- Foreign Language
The postgraduate section of the nurse anesthetist specialization is very difficult to get into. There are often very strict entrance prerequisites that are similar to medical schools (pre-med courses) and up to two years of acute care experience. This is why it is essential that following your initial undergraduate nursing studies, you obtain a registered nursing license immediately.
How to get a nursing license
In many states, obtaining a nursing license is done at the official state Board responsible for administering nurses. The application process requires that you submit your university transcripts and a copy of your degree showing you have become a nurse. A strict background check is usually done following this, so you will need to submit your fingerprints as well as evidence of any former convictions if applicable. If you are approved to take the licensing exam, then you must sit this test and pass it to become a registered nurse.
The process can take anywhere between 4-6 weeks, but in the meantime you can get a temporary license in most states so that you can practice in a supervised, hospital setting. It is important to gain as much work experience as possible if you have finished your degree so that when you apply to one of the nurse anesthetist schools, you can show that you have met the minimum 2 years required in acute care.